The Corporate Cycle
by Alphawave
Summary: The Modern retelling of the Three Kingdoms, KOEI style. When the Han corporation crumbles after a corruption scandal, three men, of different background and ideals, strive to make their own corporation and lead the way to a better China. But there is danger and treachery at every step, and the higher up you go, the harder you fall...
1. The fall of the Han

The Corporate Cycle

_Welcome to my first (published) fanfic. If you are seeking drama, excitement, and semi-historical events in modern times, you have got it here in this story._

_Please keep in mind that I will not focus on romance here. There will be a couple of chapters that will focus on the more personal lives of some characters, and quite likely there will be romance, but do note that I do not intend to make it my sole interest. The primary story is going to be a whole heap of genres mixed together so I will quite likely not stick to one genre in particular._

_As this is a modern version of The Three Kingdoms War, there will be differences due to the time gap. The main ones are:_

_1) Kingdoms = corporations. That's how I always saw it, so I'm sticking with it._

_2) No style names are to be in use. As much as they are used in the olden times, from the little Chinese knowledge that I do have, they are not in use in modern times, or at the very least they are extremely rare. If any are in use, it's because I've turned it into a nickname. I will try and make sure there is a difference between the two if I do use it. _

_3) Battles are very rarely going to be fought as ACTUAL battles. There will be few that are fought as such, but the focus is more on the espionage and sneakiness of the companies more than anything. That WILL mean the more martial characters like Lü Bu will likely have more distinct changes than others to reflect this. _

_And finally,_

_4) Every character will be written in somewhere but not EVERY character will be portrayed as the newest games do (in the time I'm writing, Dynasty Warriors 8: XL). Examples will include Sun Shangxiang's original tomboy attitude, Zhang He is not so ambiguously, potentially gay (as fun as it is), the Guan siblings are NOT just suck ups to their father etc. I will, however, try to fit in the modern DLC as much as possible but the more ridiculous ones will probably not show up (I'm looking at you, Lifeguard Huang Gai, and especially at you, Ice skating Guan Suo.)_

_I do not have much knowledge on Chinese history so if anybody could give me some random tidbits involving the playable characters in the series or just a general history lesson of the time period, I would appreciate it._

_Final warning: I have a preference for Shu and my favourite character hails from that kingdom. I will TRY not to let this bias affect my writing, but if it does, I apologise in advance. This story is meant to portray all of the kingdoms as neutral as possible and if I fail that, feel free to let me know. I do not mind critical reviews._

**Chapter 1: The fall of the Han **

History spoke of the rise of fall of man, but in today's society, it rose and fell in such a quick rate that any company worth its merit would be able to barely stand the test of time for more than a century. Here, we are in modern day China, in a period of time where the country continues to be led by communist politics, but little did people knew that despite the various political figures that ruled the various regions and states of the country, there was only one true leader of the country: Han Co.

The Han Corporation was the biggest local business in the country, rivalling that to the biggest foreign companies in the entire world, and while the actions of the company alone helped those who were in need of help as well as helping the country's economic growth sore, behind the scenes they secretly manipulated the government to help itself and other supporting companies in growing bigger and bigger in size.

That did not necessarily mean that Han Co. was necessarily an evil company. On the contrary, they pooled no less than a quarter of their profits into helping the needy, along with setting up a website that decreased the time in shipping process which would greatly help the import and export of materials into the country, giving the website the nickname of 'New Silk Road'. They set up various charities, helping fund many hospitals and schools and police. They were a ruthless business, but that did not mean that they were heartless, for they were aware that their decisions affect the country.

But it would, as those who ruled over long and long ago, be destroyed from within.

The Board of Directors, nicknamed as 'eunuchs' in the newspapers, got greedy with power, to the point that all those who wished them ill would be quietly executed; no one, not even their families, would hear from them again. But this information was leaked, and soon, it was whispered about the corruption inside of Han co. and profits for the company quickly fell. Of course this matched the increase in spending the Board of Directors used on various luxuries outside of work.

It was only until a series of protests by a Taoist group, led by Zhang Jiao alongside his two brothers, Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang that truly changed things. Little did they understand that these actions would lead to the downfall of the Han. These protests were many and often became violent, and due to the amount of people wearing yellow scarves and turbans, it soon became known throughout the world as the 'Yellow Turban rebellion'. It was, however, not to last long.

The CEO of Han co. had quickly called for various officials and officers to fight these forces and the followers of the Yellow Turbans quickly fell, but not without a cost. This attack on the protesters had cost an extravagant amount of money, which didn't help the company's declining profits. Buildings got damaged, neighborhoods worsened in quality, and the remaining followers who were still alive became bandits and hackers, stealing whatever they can from Han co. and effectively shortened the budget even further. But it was only after the death of the CEO that the corporation began its final descent into bankruptcy.

He Jin shortly fought the eunuchs in a power struggle, and while the eunuchs fought back, it was only after He Jin called his ally, Yuan Shao, to burn the eunuchs in their headquarters and effectively rid of the eunuchs for good. But it was these events that would start the age of corruption, for there still needed to be a new CEO, and the will of Liu Hong—previous CEO of the Han corporation—stated that his son were to inherit his company. Yet the son was still too young, so from this one man would become the 'caretaker' of the young to-be CEO, using him as a foothold to take over the main Headquarters in Luoyang.

This caretaker is Dong Zhou. And thus…began a rule of tyranny which would lead to a turf battle of the centur—

"Pff, hahahahahahahaha." Liu Bei looked at Zhang Fei with a mixture of confusion and embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Liu Bei, but that story is too much."

"Agreed," replied Guan Yu. "You make the story sound as if it happened centuries ago in the days of old instead of the dawn of last month."

"Well give me some credit, you both seemed to enjoy hearing me and my voice wither away." Liu Bei, in exaggerated movements, took a swig of wine from his glass. A quiet but prominent chuckle came from the other two, who watched as Liu Bei's lips turned a lush crimson red not uncommonly found in lipstick.

Zhang Fei had earlier invited Guan Yu and Liu Bei to his villa in the countryside. His harvest of wine grapes, which he had been tending to in between being outsourced to various laborious jobs around China and drinking what remains of last years' harvest, had bloomed and he had asked the two to join him in tasting the first new batch of wine he had distilled from his pickings. Of course, he had already drunk a fair amount by the time the two men located his farm but they shared in the revelry and soon began to tell stories. Liu Bei was giving an update on the current scenario revolving around Han Co. before he was so rudely interrupted, he thought.

"Then perhaps you should tell a different story next time. I think we ALL know that story already. Remember? We were there for the Yellow Turbans." A humorous tone and manner of speaking snuck in as Zhang Fei took a large gulp of wine. "Aah, today was a good harvest, huh." Liu Bei did not reply right away, instead opting to smirk evilly at his comrade before speaking.

"Then how about I make up another one then? Once upon a time, there lived a drunkard named Zhang Fei…" As Guan Yu and Liu Bei laughed uproariously, Zhang Fei only stared at the two. He began to regret inviting the two of them to his farm and he especially regretted handing out the wine that HE had to make just days ago from his own produce and his own machines. No appreciation for good wine, he thought, and no appreciation for old comrades.

"That's not funny." He replied weakly, but he couldn't help but laugh along.

After the laughter quieted down, a feeling of peace and wistfulness overcame the trio. The peaches in the garden were blossoming, the flowers were in full bloom, and the gentle breeze caressed all those exposed to the light. If this was not heaven itself, it was a pretty close description. From this, Liu Bei wondered about something, something that he felt would benefit all of them. The three of them, who have joined forces by fate and bound together by destiny, are souls who are united by the same desire, the same courage to meet this threat head on. The hovering thought in his mind was a proposition that he wished to make earlier, but he didn't have the time nor the bond, he felt, that would make Guan Yu and Zhang Fei agree to this. His time is now, for it will be soon before the three of them will most likely be hired for another job, separated by the constraints that work held on people. He had to do it now. But he lacked the courage to say it out aloud…if he was sober. Three glasses of wine more than helped build his self-confidence.

"Why don't we…no, never mind."

"Aw, come on now. What's on your mind?" Zhang Fei inquired.

"Yes, you must speak up." Guan Yu added.

"It is just…sigh. This peace is what I truly wish for. I miss it dearly. But I am afraid that it won't last long if this…conflict is to go on. Which is why…I ask of you two to join me."

"Join you?!" They both said in astonishment.

"Like a partnership, like comrades, like..."

"Like brothers?" Guan Yu asked. Liu Bei stared vacantly, as if searching for an answer. He soon answered with a simple nod.

"Like brothers." He agreed earnestly, a faint but honest smile forming from his lips.

Zhang Fei chuckled in reply. "Brother…That sounds good to me. Okay, brother. What'cha got?"

"Zhang Fei, I was merely joking at the suggestion of brotherhood." Despite himself, Guan Yu found himself laughing. "But I do admit that it is a good idea. I would've thought, however, that there would've been a bigger ceremony."

"Then I propose a toast." As Liu Bei said so, he raised his glass, high above his head. Zhang Fei and Guan Yu raised their glasses as well. "Although our surnames may be different, we have come together as brothers. From this day forward, we shall join forces for a common purpose: to save the troubled and to aid the endangered. We merely hope to be together, until the ends of time. May the Gods of Heaven and Earth attest to what is in our hearts. If we should ever do anything to betray our friendship, may heaven and the people of the earth both strike us dead."

As the men clinked their glasses together, they stared at each other, all baring smiles on their faces.

For the first time since the conflict started, the three men began to felt true peace. With a grin still glued on his face, Zhang Fei continued, "OK, now that that's done, how about I tell you the tale of this employer of mine. So. Apparently he…"  
_

Hundreds of kilometers away, the employee, after hearing the message, rushed through the building to the top floor but he stopped at the office of his boss. Normally, he didn't dare to enter or even look at it if given the opportunity to be up at this level, but he was left with no choice. As soon as he joined this company on the advice of his uncle, he became the resident lap dog, doing all the odd jobs in the building. That included being the messenger for the CEO, a man with a reputation for seeking talent with a disregard for personality all together. He was shady, but far from mysterious. He was reported to have been hanging around celebrities, politicians, you name it. He had the strangely Western attitude which could be quickly summed up as 'I don't care as long as it benefits me', and it was probably this that scared a lot of people, including the employee himself. This was probably why his hand was shaking as he tried (and failing) to latch his hand onto the doorknob. Nevertheless, with a surge of willpower, he slowly opened the door. Inside, his boss was studying a document with curious fascination.

"U-um, news for you, sir."

"Hmm?" The man rose from his seat, and now was inspecting the newcomer. After a second of observation, he dismissed him as nobody important. No doubt this lap dog will forever be a lap dog, with not even the slightest interest in standing up for himself, he thought. He could tell; it practically radiated from his quivering body. Nevertheless, the fact that a man like him arrived meant that there must be something important enough for his emergence. It also must have been bad enough that they purposely sent this man instead of his usual messenger to deliver this news. He would have felt pity for this quivering lump of fat and various wastes had there not be more important matters to attend to. "What do you want?" He said sternly.

"T-this." He mumbled, waiving a letter. "M-my superior said that he found something. Told me to tell you that 'the pig is soon up for the slaughterhouse' or something like that…"

Eyebrows raised, the CEO swiftly took the letter from the still-shaking hand of his employee. It was sad to see such a cowardly man to be in such a position, so he quickly moved his hand to dismiss him. Eyeing the letter, he turned it to its back and found a stamp. A blue stamp, one which he specifically advised to his supporters as one only used for 'emergencies or situations of the utmost importance', as he himself had told them. This better be good, he mumbled in his mind.

He read the contents of the letter and he couldn't help but chuckle a little. Perfect. His plan was going to bear fruit, and he wanted to be there when the juice was being squeezed. He smiled sinisterly as he continued to read the letter, detailing the plans for the attack. The target was going to pay a surprisingly rare visit from his more-than-luxurious condo to the poor wretched souls he called 'employees' at his main head quarters. Along with him was the successor to the Han Corporations, who wouldn't dare be within a km of the target if his enterprise wasn't falling from the corruption scandal. Still, even though the corporations were crumbling as he speaks—or thinks in this case, that man still had the assets from it, and they were beyond enormous. It was two birds with one stone.

"B-boss?" Cao Cao shook his head. He forgot that he left the errand boy standing there while he was coming up with the plan of attack.

"You may go." Cao Cao commanded. The man wasted no time in getting as far away as possible—he was practically running at the speed he was heading for the door which was only 5 metres away at most. Disregarding the speedy exit of his employee, he set about his course of plan. But one thought triumphed out of all, and it was one that he had since forgotten but was now readdressed with the sudden departure of the messenger. He should have kept it in the recesses of his mind, but it drew him in as he vocalised his thought, silently, to no one but himself. He needed to be careful, however. No one must know what he is to do next.

Silently, he opened a website on his computer. If his timing was correct, it will appear soon. After refreshing a few times, a new link was found. He hovered over the link for a few seconds before clicking.

A video appeared, bright colours overtaking all dullness from the previous webpage.

"Do you want to join us on a magical adventure?" An energetic voice from the computer enquired, the speakers pumping away at a low decibel.

"Yeah! Let's go." Another cute voice said.

"OK then. Let's go, to the land of magic and wonder."

Cao Cao smiled broadly, as he hummed to the theme song of 'Pinkie: The Rainbow Cloud Pixie of Miracles'.  
_

_Sorry, I couldn't help but end the story on a light, humorous note. For those who wanted drama, they will get it in future chapters. _

_Oh, and sorry for any Cao Cao fans I might've offended. Trust me when I say that he will not be the only one._


	2. Turmoil of the Yellow Turban Rebellion

_Second chapter's up, and as promised, the more dramatic stuff is coming up. _

_This story's not fully linear, as you can tell, and obviously, this is not going to go through the exact historical events. Future chapters will eventually deviate ENTIRELY from history, as for why well you're just going to have to stick around to find out._

_Reviews and/or comments are appreciated, critical or otherwise._

_Disclaimer: This story is based of Koei's Dynasty Warriors. I do not own the characters or the company and I am in no way affiliated with them. _

**Chapter 2: Turmoil of the Yellow Turban Rebellion**

One month earlier, Cao Cao alongside Yuan Shao had called for all volunteers ready to subdue the increasingly violent actions of the Yellow Turbans' rebellion. But with the laws the way that they were, it soon proved to be a difficult task to follow lawfully. If Cao Cao were to decide how to deal with the insurgents, he would do it through military tactics: force them into a corner, literally if possible, then beat those still willing to fight back into submission until their leader, or the majority of his followers, surrender. No unnecessary victims, low probability of death and the cities and towns would be spared from further damage from the riots. Best of all, it was painfully simple to explain to even the stupidest of people—there was no way that someone could misinterpret that plan. But there was a problem…

"You can't legally do that."

Cao Cao turned to the man called Liu Bei, and studied him carefully. He had earlier ordered that the more powerful backers of this attack be assembled to his own meeting room, and so far that it included the following: Liu Bei, his two 'bodyguards', Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, Sun Jian from the East, Chen Gong and of course himself. There were a few others, but they chose to take a minimalistic approach to this at the start of the meeting, and as a result, Cao Cao had ordered them to leave if they did not want to contribute to the plans. While their cowardice was one of Cao Cao's reasons for dismissing them, there was another reason why Cao Cao wanted those people gone, but that topic will have to be brought up later. "You think it is wrong?"

"I am not saying that it would not work, I am saying that our government would not allow for it."

Cao Cao scoffed at the mention of the government. They consisted of, in his opinion, lazy, no good men whose only true purpose in life is to gain all the money they can while screwing over everyone else in his way. He only kept his role as a consultant to one of the politicians purely for the benefits the position held and because it was the only way to truly progress in such a politically messy country. And while Cao Cao can't admit honestly that he hasn't done any selfish actions similar to the sort in the past, his position as an ex-military commander and current-CEO means that he knows who has the potential and whom he can keep under his thumb. Cao Cao wasn't sure, however, if Liu Bei or Sun Jian counted as people he could keep under his thumb. If he were to continue working with them, it would be difficult to see completely eye-to-eye.

"What would the government know? That's the entire purpose for them to ask for MY help in getting rid of these rebels."

"It's practically martial law. If they're asking us, surely that means this is a serious issue. I hope this doesn't become a repeat of the June Forth incident, Cao Cao." Liu Bei replied.

"So you understand what we're getting into." Cao Cao said, as he recalled the June Forth incident.

He wasn't actually there for the incident, but he was probably a few years younger than the students who did the actual protest. What he did know was that martial law was declared there, when the military took such violent acts against the opposition. It was probably wise that he didn't get involved, as he did remember hearing that the news went international and if he got involved he would surely make headlines either way whether he was rich or poor, influential or a nobody. For some reason, they kept calling it the 'Tiananmen Square Massacre', or something along those lines. Nevertheless, that was in the past, and there were present matters that had to be dealt with immediately.

"We need to strengthen our forces so that we can effectively defeat the Yellow Turbans. Something has to be done." Cao Cao announced.

"Yes, but not by brute force." Sun Jian remarked.

"Definitely not. I don't think this will be the answer." Chen Gong agreed, finally speaking for the first time since entering the meeting room. His voice sounded…irritating to say the least and it was obvious that despite the words being said he was a suck up. But he was a smart suck up, in Cao Cao's opinion, renowned for his intellect. Had he not known of his reputation, he would've kicked him out too long ago.

"I agree that this cannot be the best strategy. But if you are helping me in coming up with a plan, then I have to explain what's going on first, shouldn't I." Both men nodded in agreement, as Cao Cao began the overview. "The plan is to stop the rebels in Shandong. Now, we have already tried to attack them head on and obviously that had little to no effect."

"I'm not surprised. They certainly know how to draw a crowd." Liu Bei added.

Cao Cao nodded. "Knowing their tactics, the only answer that I have in regards to their success in sorcery. It HAS to be sorcery." Cao Cao said in a serious tone, a tone that made many ponder over the choice of words. Obviously, Cao Cao was not the type of man to believe in superstitions of any kind without evidence. "And it seems that it might be, according to reports."

"How so?" Chen Gong asked, although it seemed he was asking more as a formality than anything else.

"Simple, and complicated at the same time." And with that, Cao Cao pushed the button on the remote in his hand. On the projector behind him, everybody turned to look. On the screen was a photo of the Yellow Turban leader, Zhang Jiao, shouting orders as he held what seemed to be a staff, adorned with various Taoist symbols and paraphernalia. In the background, both of his brothers were at his side, also adorned with similar, but far less extravagant staffs.

"It appears there is some kind of mechanism in the staffs." He explained. "And the results are devastating, as you can see."

He flipped to the next slide on the PowerPoint, which turned out to be a video. The men in the room watched in both horror and fascination as they saw Zhang Jiao mutter ancient chants while the flames seemed to spiral around him, protecting him and burning others; the others in this case being police squadrons tasked with protecting the peace and seemingly failing miserably at it. He didn't even seem affected by the flames licking at his skin, as he held his staff with confidence at one point before flinging said flame at another attacking officer. The video ended abruptly, as Zhang Jiao, noticing the camera pointing at him, flung another fireball at the camera, no doubt burning the person holding it as well. Cao Cao cut the video off. He wanted to show them how dangerous they were but he didn't want to scar them. He should know. He watched the entire video earlier on that day.

"We managed to save the film, but the person filming however…wasn't successfully saved from the same fate. Sun Jian, I heard that you were the one who saw these devices."

Sun Jian nodded. "Yes, it was Henan. Zhu Jun helped me in preparing for the attack. I was on the front lines so I did see them. But not like that. They were attachable devices that fitted onto some motorbikes to give them some kind of…power. I don't know. But Zhang Jiao lives up to his reputation as a sorcerer, no matter how ridiculous his claims may be."

Chen Gong smirked, "The 'Way of Peace', they call it. Some ridiculous Taoist sect that has only emerged because of him. Honestly, I only heard about it now but I've heard people say that it existed long ago. That he has the original book detailing these 'teachings', if you can even call them that. Dating back all the way to the Forgotten Era."

"The Forgotten era." Guan Yu murmured.

Oh, what a time it was. A time entrenched with deceit, treachery, but most of all, wars. A period of time lasting a hundred years where there was a battle for supremacy. No one knew what happened at that time specifically, and that led to speculation and stories and fantastical myths in order to ease the frightening curiosity that people sought in times of boredom. Some said that it was really a battle of sorcerers, each wielding the powers of fire, shadow, lightning and water to manipulate their ends and only the strongest of officers was granted the power to help them fight for their masters. Others claimed that it was really a gigantic arms race, all for the coveted treasure that one side felt the other had and that these wars only ended when they all realized that neither side had the treasure anyway, and it was promptly forgotten. But Guan Yu had his own opinions on that era: it was a time of justice and virtue. Where benevolence could only be achieved through force. This force wasn't destructive in his mind, but rather a force that could shape the ends of the people in that time. He held high hopes for such an era struggling with war in the days of yore, just as he had high hopes now, especially for his now-sworn brother, Liu Bei. He had a talent, and he had a mindset that was admirable to say the least. Yes, he was a man that Guan Yu could trust. Otherwise, he wouldn't have taken him into his life so easily. He just hoped that this conflict would end quickly, as much as he enjoyed the power he held in combat.

Putting his mind back to the topic of Zhang Jiao, he proclaimed, "Yes, he has a reputation that would be praiseworthy were it not for his own beliefs. He is zealous, and he must be stopped. If he has the power to amass these people, then we must act with haste in order to counter his attack."

"Well said, Guan Yu," replied Cao Cao. "But it shall be done. For we all have been granted our own weapons to fight this menace on our lands." With that, he withdrew a sword from his side, the blade previously hiding beneath the long dark jacket Cao Cao wore. It gleamed brightly in the artificial light of the room and with it; it instilled a sense of awe. It was marked intricately with varying patterns, swirling and spinning around the blade as though it danced. Above the hilt lied a Yin Yang symbol, and just beside it bore the engraving of its maker and its name: 'Sword of Heaven'.

"We have been bestowed upon us a great power that will help us. And you all will be the first test subjects."

As the men stared at curiosity and reverence to this intricate blade, Cao Cao, in a rare fit of humanity, felt guilty. This was the OTHER reason why he had to remove all those other people. He only had a certain amount of workers and materials to work with and surely not every single person in this room has had training in the noble art of the sword or even held anything so lethal in their own hands. He has to order the weapons in advance and he will ask the rest, in due time, the extent of the nature of their weapons. But for now, he will just have to settle on explaining the true nature of the weapon, for it was not as it seemed. As he thought this, a wicked smile crept up his lips as he prepared to show the power of his new sword.

With a quick but elegant slash of the sword, it seemed standard at first, save for the unusual sparks of light that seemed to emanate it with the slash, but it was after that astounded the group as they gazed at what happened. A clone, identical only in form yet dark as the night, copied his precise movements. The others could not understand why but for a hologram comprised of manipulated light, they could not help but feel the same brute force in this clone's movements as they did with Cao Cao's movements. In short, it seemed a brutal weapon for his use, devastatingly powerful if it can be utilized for anything.

"This is the first of a line of manufactured weapons that have been in development for a long time. I will be honest in that I have not heard of these weapons until recently. Nevertheless, with the riots becoming increasingly violent, these weapons have been issued to anti-riot forces across the country. We will be the first to use them, should the ambush go ahead on the scheduled date."

"So all of us will be able ta make our own 'mini-clone', huh? Doesn't exactly sound that strong." Zhang Fei looked incredulously at the weapon. It definitely isn't his style. Too fancy, he thought, and it made him look like he's going to a dress party rather than to battle. But he kept that comment to himself. His brother was right to withhold the wine today…

"But that's where I am heading with this," With that, he turns to the next slide on his screen. On it was a map of all the major Yellow Turban riots: past and future – colour-coded in different colours to represent the different times of the attacks. "With each of you commanding an attack on each city, you will need to protect yourselves. So I have made arrangements to supply you and some of your immediate subordinates to be delivered these weapons…assuming…" Cao Cao stopped. He had just remembered a TINY detail about the weapons, but a tiny detail that was important. He should have mentioned earlier, he thought in hindsight, as he turned to see the rest of the men look at him with incredulous, watchful eyes. He had accidentally spread doubt, and the only thing left to do was extinguish it, even if it brought consequences with it.

"The weapons…seem to…choose their wielder." He finished. As he said this, the room nearly tripled in volume as the men expressed their confusion and dubiety, practically shouting for an answer. In fact, the only people who weren't in an uproar were Chen Gong and Guan Yu. Everybody else, to varying degrees, expressed their concern in such a way that he had to order them to silence, which succeeded. Cao Cao had to admit, however, that the men assembled must be loyal enough if they found a statement ridiculous as the one he made a serious threat to their well being. He chose them well, he thought.

"Look, Mengde, I understand if people were to express their will to choose," Yuan Shao stated, "but for a weapon to choose YOU? I would scoff at the idea if I didn't know myself how true that is."

"Wait, so it's true?" Sun Jian asked.

"Indeed," He replied. "As a man of noble birth such as I am, I had heard rumours of these mystical weapons. I myself have one." With that, he opened his jacket a little, not a lot, to the rest of the men. Faintly, the glow of golden metal hit their eyes. From the shape, it was definitely the handle of something, a blade perhaps, albeit a thin one. "It's experimental, not even supposed to be used right now if it weren't the perfect real-life scenario to test them. But Mengde is right. Not anybody can wield them. Observe."

Yuan Shao graciously 'borrowed' Cao Cao's sword (but not without the complimentary death glare from said man for touching it in the first place) and tried to replicate the swing that Cao Cao had made. Obviously, it seemed to be much heavier than it let on, or it was simply much heavier than Yuan Shao expected. What was noticeable about it however was that the shadow ceased to appear. Even as Yuan Shao held the blade, it seemed more lackluster and dull in his hands than it ever did in Cao Cao's hands despite the more 'posh' look of Yuan Shao.

"Cao Cao's weapon doesn't work for me because I'm not 'compatible'." He continued to explain. "It simply is too brutal to match the finer graces of a man of my class and thus, in my hands it is but a humble sword. There are others out there who can wield its true power but none that are known apart from Cao Cao."

"Even in research?"

"Especially so. So far, not even the strongest people in the world can wield its true power. The only people so far known is my noble self, Cao Cao, and it seems Zhang Jiao and his brothers also. No one knows why certain people only can wield these weapon's special power."

"Zhang Jiao had access to those weapons, and he stole a staff when he left the project. It seems that he has mass produced it." Pointing back to the screen, Cao Cao added, "As I said earlier, we have our own line of workers who are as we speak making the special preparations for these weapons. They will await your instructions after this meeting. But I ensure you on this, if we follow this plan, we will ensure not only our victory but the end of the Yellow Turbans for good."

As the men gave a quick hurrah in response, Cao Cao told them the final details of the attack they are to take part in in their respective city and soon, the men proceed to go their separate ways. Cao Cao went through the meeting again in his head and concluded that they were good men, at least for the time being. These men, from different breaths and walks of life, are united together for one ambition: the demolition of the Yellow Turbans. And Cao Cao is going to be in the forefront of it, destroying all those who'll dare stand in his path to glory.

Of that, Cao Cao is certain. Very certain.

* * *

As Zhang Jiao ran across the city street, his stare turned to the bodies of his followers lying on the ground, unmoving, immobile. The unmistakable stench of tear gas and the bruising left by the bean bags shot from the shot gun and the lack of blood gave him solace that his followers were not dead, merely unconscious. He prayed that was the case. But he still has to hurry, to escape, to get away. He ran forward, twirling, dodging past the bodies strewn but there are far too many to just run through without hurting someone.

How could the gods wish him this cruel, insufferable fate? He did what they wished. He gathered so many people, he healed so many and for free too. He did not ask for compensation. He did not ask for one thing but their help, if they can, to help others. Many refused but just as many accepted. And the virtues he preached were virtuous and just, they were as if they were what the heavens wished for, to recreate their image on this unholy land. And the heavens wished to show their dissatisfaction with the way this world was being treated the only way they could: the insufferable appearance of their awe-inspiring wrath. And he did what they asked of him. And this was their reward to him? For all that he has done in their almighty cause.

No, it wasn't the gods. It was that treacherous man: Cao Cao. He knows was that he wants that man dead. If he himself was a servant of the heavens, that Cao Cao man was a lord of hell: a lord who thrived in chaos. He was dangerous. And it was because of the insistent pursuit of that man that he has to keep running. He has to keep running…

With the combined effort of both his legs and brain working together, Zhang Jiao made it through the maze of bodies and was running full course to safety. If he could escape and find one person to give him the help and kindness he needed, he will gladly pay them back a thousand fold, a million fold if he had the opportunity. Anything he could give, he'll give it. But no one was around. It was quiet. Too quiet. But he still has to keep running.

As he made it continued through the empty streets of the city, the silence put him up at his wits, and the streets, once so vast and full of life, felt like a coffin, slowing pushing down on his body. Any noise he makes will echo for kilometers almost. That will notify the men chasing him. Quickly, he made a left turn at a T-junction, for the other road is strewn with bodies. It seems to be the safest too.

Only when he has ran already nearly a half-kilometer through the road that he realized that it was a market street. There are no turns for a long time, especially on foot, unless he went back. There are no alleyways to hide in because they are closed by looming, crudely painted gates that seem to be taunting at him, laughing at him for his failure. He cannot cut through the shops because the citizens who chose not to take sides closed them up prematurely, to hide from the heaven's wrath. Oh how ironic it is that these people could have been his saving grace from the skies themselves. It comforted him that the silence meant that he could hear someone come to him. He cannot be ambushed if their position was to be compromised in the first place.

He slowed down his pace a bit due to his sapped strength, but it soon quickened when he heard a clicking noise. Then he realized that the noise was a tapping noise. Shortly after that, when the pace quickened, he soon recognized that it was the noise of the sole of a shoe hitting the ground. Someone was chasing him, and whoever that was, they had found him. So he ran, he ran as fast as his legs would allow, the staff in his hand providing no solace. He received it to show the fiery depths of hell to all those who went against the heavens themselves, the staff was clearly not designed for him to attain the ability to fly or quicken his speed. But nevertheless, he ran. He had no energy left after all that running to fight, even if it was just one person.

But that person became two, when he heard the same clicking of the heel coming from the other direction, approaching him at break neck speeds. And then it became five. Five people were approaching him. And there was no escape. So he did the only thing he could. He put his hands in the air, kneeling to the hard, dirty, hole ridden concrete. Within a few seconds, he was surrounded 3: 1, only for his pursuers to find that Zhang Jiao, the leader of the Yellow Turbans, has surrendered.

"What shall we do with him?" One of the men asked.

"Hmph. At least he knows when to give up." Cao Cao muttered. "Knock him out."

"K-knock him out?" The same man asked. "He just surrendered. At least give him some dignity and arrest him."

"How?" Cao Cao looked doubtfully at the man. "We are not policemen. I do not carry handcuffs around for the sheer fun of it." Zhang Jiao swore that he could hear the other two of the men snigger from outside his view, muttering something along the lines of "I wouldn't be surprised if he did" but it seemed to have gone unnoticed by Cao Cao.

Zhang Jiao might have scoffed at most, but he was too fearful for his own life to so much as laugh. But he stayed in position, hoping to be getting a quick and painless death, some reimbursement for his servitude to the gods above.

And then it hit him. An unseen light that seemed to surround his being, as if warming him from the inside itself, so soothing, he thought. And with it, his mind quickly eased. He feels as if he is what the gods were everyday: at one with everything, with peace in their hearts and the world at their fingertips, to shape, to create, to prosper. That is what he feels at the moment. And then, he feels like he is falling. As seated as he is on the ground, as much as he sees it with his own eyes, he feels as though that very concrete he is on was no more, an illusion, a figment that never existed. But it was the finale of this that shook him the most, for with it numerous images played in his head, like a sped up video, the images, some moving and some still, transitioned between each other so many times that it is almost impossible to keep up but for some reason, Zhang Jiao felt as though he could understand it all. And as the final image appeared, he knew. THIS is the compensation he sought from the heavens. This was his reason on the earth.

As he felt his body return to his control, as though his soul returning to his body, the elysian presence he felt within himself vanished, and his mortal, worldly emotions and desires returned to him. Including the feeling of panic over the implications of that he has just seen. And with an almost ethereal strength, he stood up; the pain seemingly vanished from his joints. In particular, he turned his almighty gaze to the three men.

"You must not let the past define your actions."

"What?" All three men exclaimed.

"This has been repeating for too long. The consequences are too dire. Please, you must stop the cycle."

Before they could ask for the meaning of his enigmatic words, he dropped, his body now fully unconscious, leaving the three men staring, struggling to come to terms with what has happened.

This would be the first time that the three men would doubt the nature of their actions, their own morality in comparison to the grand scheme of things. This was not the last.

* * *

As Cao Cao, Sun Jian and Liu Bei entered the compound, they gave a silent nod to the guard, and that guard opened the heavily locked door to a solitary room with no furniture except a table and three chairs, one at their side and two at the opposite side; no light except for a tiny light bulb nearing the end of its life and no other person but the two men, alike in appearance, sitting at the chairs at the end of the table, their shackles chaffing badly on their skin.

It was clear that they didn't want to talk, but they had to. After all, these three men supposedly have information on their brother, Zhang Jiao, and for whatever reason they are the ones to impart that knowledge.

They expected the man in the black trench coat with the dark purple shirt, the ringleader of this unholy attack, to be the one to do the talking but surprisingly, the man in the green jacket is the one to take the seat, silently signifying that he is to be the one to bear the brunt of the news: good or bad.

"Hmph. So you are to be the one to tell us about our brother? Spare us the bad news. He's dead, isn't he."

They also expected some kind of harsh comment of some sort. Some gloating. Some admonishing. Some prideful sniveling against their actions, including their brother's. Something. And they were well prepared for that, but they never expected the pitiful, sorrowful expression that the man in the chair held. "I'm afraid he's suffering a fate worse than death."

As the brothers looked to each other, each of their fears was confirmed. They were torturing him. They must be. Getting some information out of him, probably as they speak. It's unlikely he'll see the light, even if he survives. "So what do you want from us then? Spare us this torment. We want to see our brother!"

All three men looked at each other nervously. They didn't want to speak about it. Probably too gruesome to say, but while the three of them have not known each other for long, they knew enough about each other to silently seek the opinion of the others. They silently agreed to go ahead. Once again, Liu Bei spoke, "Do you know who I am?"

The brothers were confused. They had not seen this man before, but he must have been a part of the group who hunted and hounded their brother for so long. Still, he seemed familiar, like the feeling one gets when reuniting with a long lost friend. It was similar, but this had a more negative feeling to it.

"No," they lied, as they tried to shake away this unusual feeling of familiarity mixed with discomfort.

"Well, it doesn't matter anyway." He states, "Nevertheless, I will have to tell you the bad news."

Liu Bei takes a big breath and then exhales. It calms him a bit. Not much but it was enough to calm him down, to let him say the words he wishes to speak. "Your brother's in hospital. In a coma…stable however."

The two brothers contemplate the words, and they accept that whatever this man was saying was the truth. "Was it induced?" One asked.

"No. He was like that when I…when WE found him." He turns his head to the men at his side. They acknowledge his words, confirming the worst. Zhang Jiao may not be dead, the brothers thought, but he's as close to it as anything.

"Why are you telling us this? Why YOU, of all people?" The brothers asked, their words directed to Cao Cao in particular. He gave an annoyed look in response, understanding that these words are meant for him.

"He speaks of some cycle. We do not know what he speaks of. We wish to find out."

It was technically true what he said, but he personally wanted to also find out if these men had any other powerful allies, any who might turn to be a pesky problem in the future. He wishes to…exterminate the problem, incapacitate, if he wants his next moves to be fruitful. He needs to watch his words.

The brothers only stared in confusion. His brother never mentioned any 'cycle' in any conversation they ever had. This was the first time they heard it. "What are you talking about?"

The man in the tiger print jacket speaks, his voice lacking the sincerity and the menace of Liu Bei and Cao Cao's voices respectively, his voice instead resounding with confidence and pride. "He mentioned a cycle that the three of us are involved in. That our actions in the past must be forgotten, to make sure they don't lead us to something." He slammed the desk, the impact shaking all in the room, including Cao Cao and Liu Bei. "Were you keeping track of us? Is there a mole within us? Who's HELPING YOU?!"

The men cowered in fear, not knowing what to say, not knowing what they are talking about. Until it hit them. The feeling of airiness. The feeling of freedom. No longer do they feel like they are in a prison but in the confines of heaven itself. Cao Cao, Sun Jian and Liu Bei noticed the change in their expression, how their eyes look like they were glazed over, like the eyes of a doll. They were vaguely aware of it with Zhang Jiao, but now they gave their whole attention to this sudden change in atmosphere, the room no longer filled with tension but with light instead. It was unsettling, this unusual peace.

"Well, well, look what we have here. I never thought this would happen." The first brother said.

"Indeed, the fact that they haven't killed each other yet is a miracle of its own. Then again, they do not have reason to fight yet do they." The second brother replied.

The three men looked at the two men in shock. Not only was their aura different, but it seemed like their personalities changed as well. They couldn't help but gape as they stared into their milky, almost glowing eyes.

"I wonder what will happen this time? Will the Musketeer win? Or maybe Odin? Or will our very own King Arthur win?" After the brothers chuckled a bit, they added, "I wonder if they remember."

"I doubt it," the other said. "After all, we just remembered ourselves."

The two brothers turned their heads to the three men, the three each trying to make head or tails of the situation, and are obviously failing. They were amused even further as Cao Cao tried to mentally get a grip on things and failing, struggling to figure out if he was Odin or King Arthur.

The brothers smiled. They were whole, they were one. All of their memories were one again. They know it won't last: this isn't the first time that they had this revelation and this isn't the first time that they had encountered the three of them like this.

"Try to remember who you were." They say, noting that the jubilant feeling in their bodies was leaving. "Maybe you might even learn from your own mistakes." The brothers nodded in acknowledgement. They were at peace, as their bodies slowly fell onto the hard wooden table. Within seconds, the two brothers collapsed.

Cao Cao grimaced. "Call a guard, will you? 'Musketeer'?"

"Oh, ha ha, Cao Cao." Nevertheless, Liu Bei got up and left the room to contact the guard outside. He returned within a few seconds. "It's done. But we have to stay here while they question us."

"We'll wait." Sun Jian murmured as he turned to the unconscious bodies. "I just hope that this is the end of the craziness."

The other two nodded in agreement, as they mournfully looked at the unconscious but alive bodies of the two brothers before them.

"Still, this is weird. Two times in a day." Liu Bei murmured.

"Gotta be some new record, eh…"

"I guess. But…I don't know, don't you feel that there's something familiar about the two of them?

"I…do." Cao Cao said, Liu Bei and Sun Jian turning to face him. "This doesn't feel like this is the first time that we've had this conversation. Perhaps…we've met them before, but I cannot for the life of me remember where…or when."

The men silently agreed, spending the rest of their time with silence, with no sound to be heard but their own inner thoughts.

A few minutes later, the guard came in to escort the three for an interview. It was clear, concise, to the point. They wasted no time to shout at the three until Cao Cao pointed out the camera in the room, and that the same model camera was in the meeting room where they met the other two Zhang brothers. On. And he knew that if it was off for any reason, it could end in a fierce legal battle should they be incriminated any further.

With a hesitant but angry nod from the interviewer, the men left, each going to their respective homes but neither could take their minds off the words of the three brothers, the look on their faces, the ephemeral glow that surrounded them before they collapsed. Each vowed to remember their words, hoping that it would hold some significance but alas, it did not. The answers were not there. These men, born of a different cloth, shared a similar fate that night, sleeping restlessly, their bodies yearning for some release from this mental torture.

By the time dawn broke, all three had forgotten, the vow to remember the brothers' words also vanishing, along with the memories, in the wind.

_Sorry to end this on a downer note, but it's going to get worse from here on out.I mean it when I say this story is not for those seeking literal 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms'._


	3. His Paradise Gained

**Chapter 3**: **His Paradise lost**

Dong Zhuo had to get creative when the law hit the world. I mean, it was one of the stupidest, most outrageously crazy laws that they could have conceived but they still did it anyway. Even Dong Zhuo, in his rare moments of common sense and, if you can call it, 'sensibility', knew that he didn't attain power from being smart but he still felt that the law was ridiculous in the fact that it was almost impossible to implement. After all, it was a necessary evil in this world. But when the U.N. decided to ban guns, the entire world practically face palmed. Operation Ammunition was the most divided debate when it was announced.

Of course, no one expected it to happen. No one. Not Dong Zhuo, certainly. Nevertheless, it was implemented and the events that followed were surreal, to be put lightly. It started with the civilians: any people with no gun license (which is quite a big chunk of people) are to have their guns taken. Some were charged but most went off scot-free and, in Dong Zhuo's opinion, probably got new ones anyway. Of course, the disgustingly grand country called U.S.A was the one who started first and other countries followed suit, not including China in one of their rare astute moments, Dong Zhuo thought. This went on for but a few months, which was surprisingly fast considering how large the collective countries are.

Then they went to the criminals. They raided whatever weapons they could find, this time more forcefully. Of course they had gotten so much weapons by this time that there had to be storage facilities to store them. Rumors were that some military bases or unsuspecting house, depending on the source, had an underground basement that spread for miles and miles, where the extra weapons were kept, without their ammunition, waiting for someone to grab them. Again, these people got more weapons, albeit in smaller amounts due to the money lost or wasted from claiming new weapons. That was the first, albeit minor, success that the operation had. It was around this time that Dong Zhuo paid vastly more attention to the scenario.

Dong Zhuo easily predicted all of these past events, but what happened next was what aroused the attention of everybody. The first event happened when someone, possibly a member of some failing government, in a moment of what could only be described as genius, took charge over Operation Ammunition after the original leader in charge of the operation died, rather ironically, from a gunshot that was accidentally fired from one of the guns retrieved from the weapon raids. He ordered to stop production of guns from the source, and thus blacksmiths and armories all over the world were ordered to stop production of any modern weapons or risked being charged by international laws, which could put them under arrest. That, bewilderingly, worked more than anyone could have predicted, as production of guns, RPGs, rifles, even tanks reduced by 80%, at least that was the statistics in the newspapers.

The second one, however, was probably even more significant, even if it got less publicity. Another man, this time a lawyer specialising in firearm laws, reported in his private circle (of which Dong Zhuo was, and is still a member in) of a loop hole: while there were laws regarding the strict regulations of modern firearms, these new laws directly contradicted with previous weapon laws, so those older laws were secretly modified. Basically, any weapon not classified as being of modern make (whatever that was, Dong Zhuo thought) and/or as a firearm is technically legal. This included any premodern combat weapon like swords, bows, hidden blades and to Dong Zhuo's delight, certain explosives. Like bombs.

Dong Zhuo took great pleasure in the use of explosives, especially for his more…illegal activities. Many know that he is an individual to watch out for, including himself. That is what made him powerful: he was well aware of his own strengths and weaknesses, and made measures to heighten those strengths while diminishing those petty weaknesses. He is power hungry; he enjoys being in luxury and has the money to stay there while being surrounded by beautiful women doing his every whim and desire. But few knew of his two secrets, the two aspects of himself that he could not bear to lose.

The first was his desire to find paradise. Some knew of his owning of many properties in many exotic countries and many still think that this was for a tax dodge, or to hide what remains of his illegal stash of weapons or simply to invite some unsuspecting gold digger. No one knows that the real reason he bought those properties was that he wanted to find the place he called paradise. But none held that charm, that embracing hold that will make him lose all sense of worldly aspects, that place where he felt he truly belonged, where he was at peace.

The second, which even fewer know about, was his great, passionate love of explosives. The feeling he gets when that tortured soul was to experience the fires of hell while he fanned the flames, the screams of agony as they begged, pleaded for their life in return for anything they have, anything that they didn't have. He doesn't like to kill per se, but merely to injure, to torture. And one person today was about to find out.

At least, that was the plan, for fate had other ideas when he heard the door get scraped with the white of a person's knuckles.

Begrudgingly, he ordered one of the guards to torture the insurgent somewhere else through one of the hidden passages and, once both left, ordered the other guard to open the door. Who in the world would dare interrupt him when he specifically asked for privacy? Once the door opened, however, his expression softened as he saw the person in question. A woman.

She wore the standard uniform of a maid, but there's something quite different about her. For one, she wore certain accessories that seemed to make her glow almost in the light: long, hanging earrings; a glittering necklace; lips so red that you would think they were jewels; makeup that seemed to make her eyes all the more intoxicating. Dong Zhuo didn't think or even care that they were not manual labour friendly. Secondly, she did not have the ragged, worn, ugly faces of the maids for as beautiful as they might have been when he first hired them, they would always wilt somewhat, but this is the most spectacular flower he had ever seen—luxurious, seductive almost. It is as if she was preserved so beautifully that she will not wilt, not get ugly in his hands. Lastly, she has the face and body that suggested an exotic beauty. Chinese, certainly, was in the mix but she looks as though some other exotic race is in her blood, enhancing her beauty to new heights. Dong Zhuo didn't stop to think that she looked TOO beautiful, too enticing to be just a mere servant. He also conveniently forgot the fact that he doesn't even remember ordering for another maid.

All he knows that at this moment, she is the one who will lead to paradise. Nothing else mattered, not even the fact that he had forgotten to hide the miniature explosive he was going to 'experiment with' on the insurgent.

"Good morning, sir. I am the new maid."

Just as he thought, a voice smooth as silk. _Yes, she would be the one to start my paradise, definitely. _"My dear, what is your name?" He said in his most suave voice.

"Oh, I…do not think a mere servant needs to be referred to by name." She looked down towards the floor, embarrassment covering her face. It made her seem all the more beautiful.

"Nonsense. This is your first day. Now please, tell me what your name might be."

The woman was silent for a few seconds, thinking for a while as to how she should answer. Finally, she said, "My name is Diaochan. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Such an interesting nickname," he remarked. "I'm sure I can show you around, then." He says as he led this beautiful flower through the hallway, leaving behind the room with the chains, and the explosives, and the guard hiding the unconscious, desecrated body of the teenage Liu Bian: the ex-CEO of Han co, the man known in some circles as Emperor Shao.

Dong Zhuo spent the rest of that day hanging out with Diaochan, under the pretence of showing her the ropes and duties of the house (the fact that it was a large mansion helped to extend his time with her as much as possible). The only time he talked to someone else that day was to introduce the new maid to his adopted son, Lü Bu, and it was clear, at least to Dong Zhuo, that this new employee would be welcome. After all, even though Lü Bu was only there as a 'bodyguard' per se, his condemnation of certain staff members meant that he only allowed people he trust into Dong Zhuo's private circle. And his approval of Diaochan meant that there would be no problems if she were to, say, be seen frequently by his side. Or even exiting his bedroom if he was lucky. Dong Zhuo failed to see that the reason he approved of Diaochan might be because he too is charmed by her appearance.

And so, the rest of Dong Zhuo's days were spent in bliss for now he held a beauty beyond comparison. Of course she didn't accept all of his advances but he was sure she was playing shy. And it was quite good that she was spending some time with Lü Bu, well, actually a lot of time. But he is sure that his 'son' was just helping her with some of the harder labour. After all, whenever he imagined that rosy skin, that jasmine fragrance, there was no way that he would allow her to droop from the harder manual tasks. Dong Zhuo even managed to (with the promise of a significant pay rise) convince said lady to be an entertainer after he heard of her skills as a dancer. And what a dancer she was, for she twirled and spun with such grace you would not be able to tell her apart from a professional. Sometimes she would dance with Dong Zhuo but she maintained a professional distance away from others who might gaze a little too long at her beauty. Dong Zhuo didn't realise that Lü Bu was one of those gazers. Her most spectacular dance involved ribbons. The long flowing fabric seemed to obey her every command as she let it spin around her, fly around her, like a willowy extension of her hand, her being. It was entrancing. She was practically shining; this was the element she was meant to be in.

He did not see, however, the shine of a sectioned metal whip hiding in her dress, its magnificent lustre lost from the coat of red liquid.

He asked her to dance for him all the time, and it was an offer she couldn't refuse. So she did so, and after her duties as maid was done, if she wasn't tired, she would perform for Dong Zhuo and his men. But she did not perform for the fun of it, she did not work all her life to be an assassin just so she could do a little twirl in front of a man and then clean up the mess. She did it so she could get close to Dong Zhuo. She did it so she could get rid of him. But there was one other whom she could not help but notice: the bodyguard known as Lü Bu.

She was fascinated by him. A grown man, strong, manly, tough, acting as a bodyguard for some rich, pretentious megalomaniac. She did not understand it. It made her curious about her. She wished to know all about him. It helped that her father asked her to watch him as well.

"You must keep your eyes out for anyone who might be close to him. Especially that Lü Bu."

"But why, father? He is clearly only a pawn, a bodygaurd. No better than a servant." _No better than I am _she silently thought.

"But he is a powerful servant. If we can get Dong Zhuo enamoured with you, it will be easier to kill him. But if Lü Bu is also to fall for you…"

"Then we can make them fight between themselves?"

Wang Yun smiled. "It certainly is less likely to implicate you, my dear. Especially if the rumours of his temperament are true"

"I understand. Try to capture both of their hearts? As the _waiguoren_ say…oh, what is it…two birds, one stone?" She smiled cheekily.

"Exactly, my dear." He said, as he patted his adopted daughter's head. "Exactly, my dear Ren Hongchang."

Diaochan smiled, for her real name, to be used by anyone, was a treat sweeter than candy itself.

She did as she was told, capturing both men's hearts, as well as the hearts of a few others, though they were of no interest to her. She did not, however, expect her own heart to be captured by the brute of the man known as Lü Bu as before she knew it, she had begun to spend as much time as possible with him, more than she would allow herself to do. She had to maintain a professional distance. After all, the men always seemed to love it when she played hard to get before she would ensnare them, letting their thoughts and desires be directed only to her. She shouldn't feel this way for such a brute of a man. He was strong, he was tough, he was brave, but he was also disloyal, ruthless, stubborn. Why does this man stay with such a pig, a dictator of luxury?

"Hmph, because I owe him."

"You…owe him?" Diaochan had queried one day, in the glow of the afternoon sun. He sat next to her on one of the benches in the garden. As it is spring, the petals were blooming, growing around them.

"He is puny, greedy, but he also lives in danger all the time. And I live for that danger. I owe him a chance to prove my might, for him to see just how strong I truly am, then I will be rid of him for good."

"But…what if he truly is as evil as they say? What if he were to…" she trailed off, but Lü Bu's curiosity had made the man turn towards her. His dark eyes, while menacing most of the time, seemed soft, almost protective as their gaze connected. This was another unusual trait she could not understand: his overwhelming trust for her. He was as disloyal as they come yet he so easily trusts those around him, no matter how bad or good they may be. No matter if they could easily kill him, right here, right now, Diaochan thought.

"There is no need to speak further." He huffed angrily, understanding the implications of her words. "He may be many things, most of them wrong and evil, but he is a man of appearance. He will not DARE to do such a thing." He paused, thinking a bit on his words. "But if he does, especially towards you, I will have no qualms over removing his existence from this world, if need be."

She smiled at him, genuinely, for the first time in a time too long to name. Definitely, it was the first time she had done so while on a job. This brighter smile did not go unnoticed by Lü Bu, who smiled gently in return.

"I especially will not allow you to come into harm. If need be, I…will be your bodyguard. Diaochan."

She turned to him in surprise. Not mock surprise, not fake surprise. Real surprise. She knew that she held his affection but she never expected him to say something like that to her, to risk himself like this. All she could do was sit there stiffly in surprise, as he put a comforting arm around her shoulders and together, they watched the sun set, the brilliant orange colours of the sky melting into the dark cool blue of the night.

She knew that she would have to part from him soon, that soon she will be nothing more than a long lost love, gone with the wind. A petite flower once in bloom now dead, not yet able to show the hidden thorns she held tightly to her body, constricting her.

Still, she would enjoy this while she can, she thought, as she lightly pecked Lü Bu's cheek. This simple kiss erupted into a whirlwind of kisses, of romance. And she, in the eye of the storm, enjoyed the chaos that surrounded her. No, she is the chaos, she thought, as she allowed her body to sink deeply into the strong body of the demonic bodyguard.

* * *

The day after, rumours sprung forth of the romance between Lü Bu and a maid. But no one was ever able to see which maid it was for the only indicator of the person's identity was the died brown hair, and the flower she seemed to have in her hair,its petals blooming into a prismatic pink. The flower was so hypnotic that no one was able to identify the person and thus, no one was able to verify the identity. But it was clear that the romance was real and thus the rumours bloomed among the staff and caretakers of the estate. Thus, Lü Bu's affair sprung forward to the world, as his passion seemed to seep into his very being with this sweet affair. And in those short, sweet weeks, Lü Bu: the 'Flying General'. The man of nightmares. The demon of chaos. Lü Bu was the happiest he had ever been in his short, bitter life.


End file.
